Machine for packing matches.



J. P. WRIGHT.

MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES.

APPLIOATION FILED 00122, 1912.

1,1 1 1,780. Patented Sept. 29, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET L minesses: m

wfidw MOM? Wily/16,

YHE NORRIS PEYERS Ca. PH01v-Ll1na, WASHINGTON. o. c.

J. P. WRIGHT.

MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 22, 1912.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

4 8HEET8-SHEET 2.

THE

J. P. WRIGHT.

MACHINE FOB. PACKING MATCHES.

APPLIOATION FILED 0OT.22, 1912.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

4 SHBETSSHEET 3.

Inventor:

Jim-obj? Weight,- ,154? Q/ZiZOrW W-HW THE NORRIS PETERS C04. PHOTO LITHO., WASHINGTON. o c.

J. P. WRIGHT. MACHINE FOR PACKING MATCHES.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.22, 1912.

1,1 1 1,780, Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LI "10.. WASHINGTON, 0. IV

, with two layers or quantities of matches UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. JACOB r. WRIGHT, onBnnBnnToN, OHIO, rissrcrnon To Tnn DIEAMOND MATCH COM- PANY, on cnrcneo, rnnnvors, A coRronA IoN or ILmNoIs.

To all cohort it mag concern: Be it known that I,JAooB Barbertorn'in the county of Summit and State of Ohioyhave invented certain new and usefulImprovements in vMachines for Packing Matches, of which the following is l a specification. j

This invention relates to machines for packing matches inboxes, and it may be described as a modification of the apparatus forming the subject of Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,016,436, dated Februfil ary 6, 1 912, to which reference may be had. In the patented apparatus, as generally stated, the matches, with their heads pointing in the same directiomare delivered by Below these openings is an endless tray-conveyer whichis mountedto travel in a continuous horizontal path in such manner as to impel the trays along one course, and in one direction, beneath one opening, and then partially turn and move the said trays along another course, and'in an opposite direction, beneath the other opening. The openings, by actuation of their gates, are opened and closed at intervals to permit the periodical discharge of measured quantities of matches to the trays beneaththe respective openings, each tray thus being successively supplied having their heads extending in opposite directions to each other. Among other things, provision is had'to raise and lower the trays with respect to the measuring devices at the discharge openings, as will more fully appear by reference to said Patent 7 No. 1,016,436. I

matches are supplied to the box-trays from a single filling station and wherein each tray PI WRIGHT, a citizen of'the United States, a'ndresident of These openings are provided with a machine,

me e r012. PACKING MATCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Se t 29 1914. App'lieation flled October 22, 1912. 7 Serial No. 727,117.

is partially turned in respect to such station at the end of each charging operation. Thus the successive quantitiesof matches supplied to each tray lie compactly and parallelly therein with their heads pointing in opposite directions to each other. f

Accordingly the invention comprises various novel features of construction and combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of apacking or ling machine embodying a preferred form ofmy invention, said machine being illustrated as associated with a match making machine. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the packing machine, as viewed from the left hand side of F ig. 1; the outer standard 3 being'brokenaway and the shaft 2 being in cross-section in order to expose parts of the reciprocating yoke frame otherwlse concealed. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverselvertical sectlons of the packlng machine, as on the lines 8-3, H and 5-5, respectively, of'Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section, as on the line 66 of Fig.1. Fig. 7 is a plan of the hopper and its adjuncts. Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section as on the line 88 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9.is a plan of the turntable showing a filled box-tray therein. Fig. 10 is a transverse vertical section through Fig. 9.

1 represents the bed of the match packing and 2 a shaft having its bearings in suitable standards 3 on the bed. This shaft is driven from a suitable source of power. In the present instance the machine is associated with a match making machine, and hence the shaft is conveniently geared with and driven by the drive shaft 4 of the latter machine. One end of this drive shaft has its bearing in the adjacent standard 3, and is, equipped with a spur gear 5 in mesh with a gear 6 on the shaft 2. The object of myinvention is to provide a match packing machine wherein the 7 represents a shallow elongated hopper which is adapted to receive the matches from a suitable source of supply and deliver them in substantially uniform quantities to the of the match carrier of the matchmachine' being indicated at 9, and a portlon' of the endless conveyor, by means of which the matches are spaced and fed in parallelism to each other along the trough, being indicated at 10.

I The bottom of the hopper is inclined from ,end to end, its outer end terminating in a discharge opening 11 having depending side plates 11 to and between which the matches deliveredto the hopper from the trough are fed by the longitudinal reciprocations of the hopper. The inclined floor of the hop per is preferablystepped in orderto provide transverse ridges 12 which assist the matches in their descent and; also tend to maintain them in parallelism during their travel. The discharge opening is provided with a suitable cut-off gate, comprising,preferably, a blade 13 fitted to slide in a guide 14 on the underside of the hopper. Thisblade is pivotally connected by means of a link 15 with the upper end of a rock-lever 16 which isfulcrumed in a bracket 17 on the bed-plate, and is provided at a suitable point in its length with a stud orroller 18 in register with a grooved cam 19 on the drive shaft 4 of the natchnaking machine, whereby the head is reciprocated at predetermined intervals in order to open or close the discharge opening 11 of the hopper, as will presently appear. 1 V

Directly beneath the discharge opening is a horizontal turn-table which is adapted to receive and support a match tray delivered thereto. This turn-table, which in its preferr d form comprises a bottom 20 having spaced upstanding side walls 21, is supported upon a vertical shaft 22 which has its bearings in one of the standards 3 and is appropriately geared with the shaft 2 so as to be intermittently rotated thereby; the dwells being at the end of each semi-rotation of the vertical shaft in order that a tray supported beneaththe hopper-opening by the turn-table may be turned and the positions of its ends reversed. In the present instance the gearing between the shafts 2, 22 comprises a pair of complementary mutilated gear wheels 28, 24 on the respective.

shafts; the wheel 23 having a series of teeth 25 and an extended blank pitch surface 25, and the wheel 26L having two oppositely-disposed series of teeth 26 with intervening blank concave surfaces 26 corresponding with the surface 25' of the'wheel 23. When the blank surfaces of the respective gear wheels are in contact with each other the vertical shaft 22 is locked and the turn-table thereon is at rest, but when-the teeth of the respective wheels mesh with each other the shaft 22 and, perforce, the turn-table are advanced a half-turn. Other equivalent means for intermittently rotating and locking the turn-table may be employed.

The trays, which are indicated at 27, are successively fed into position; for endwise delivery "to the turn-table when the latter is at rest; such feeding means, in the present instance, comprising an endless belt 28 which extends beneath the hopper. and about suitable pulleys, whereof one is shown at 29. Preferably. the belt passes through a suit ably-disposed trough 28 which not only sus tains the belt, but affords aiguide-way for the trays in their travel. -The pulley 29 turns. on a stud shaft 30 projecting from a bracket on the standard 31 rising from the bed-plate,.and is-provided with a sheave 32 which isc'onnected byv means of. a driving belt 33 with a sheave 34 on the main shaft 2, whereby the said pulley, and, perforce, the belt 28, arecontinuously driven in order to advance the series cfempt'ytrays which are placed side by sidethereon. Adjacent the turn-table 1s a determina'testop 35 for the leading'tray' when the latter is in endwise alinement with the turntable. This stop comprises one arm of an -L-shaped member which overhangs. the belt, the other arm thereof being adjustably secured, as by screws 86 to the proximateportion of the standard 31'.

which is slidingly'fitted in suitable guide- A horizontal plunger v37,

ways on the-standard31, ,isadapted in one stroke to impinge against the opposing end of the trayiand push it from the belt28 and upon the turn-table, and in its return stroke to recede from the'belt and permit the neXt succeeding tray on the. latter 'toassume its position; against the stop. The plunger is connected: with the upper end of a rock-lever 38 which is fulcrumed in a bracket 39 on the bed, and is provided .withia studor rollerin register with a grooved cam 40 on the main shaft 2,the cam being of proper contour to efiect the timely oscillation of the rock-lever.

to fall downbetween the sideplates into'the" tray. The gate is then advanced to close the opening and cut ofi the supply of matches therethrough. The hopper is then raised to its original position, and the measured quail-.- tity of matches between the plates isv discharged into the tray; such matchesby virtue of the rapid jarring action of the de pendin'giplates thereon, incident to the vibration of the being uniformly'distributed within the tray. The turn-table is then moved a half-turn, and locked, thus reversing, the position of the ends, ofthe tray therein. This done the hopper is again lowered sufficiently to enter'the plates about half-way, into the partially-filled'tr'ay, or upon the top of the chargeyof matches therein. The cut-0E gate is then retracted to permit a quantity of matchesto flow between the side plates, and then advanced to close the opening and out off the 1 flow. Thereupon the hopper is raised and the second quantity of matches is discharged and distributed within .the tray, the heads of the matches of this second quantity of matches thus being oppositely disposed to those of the first quantity within the tray.

The means herein illustrated to impart the timely rising and falling motions to the hopper includes a yoke lever 4C1 which is fulcrumed, as at 42, in the top of asuitablydisposed standard 43 on the bed plate. The yoke limbs of this lever embrace the outer end of thehopper and are slotted at their extremities, as at 4A, to receive pivoted wrist blocks 45 on the respective sides of the hopper. The outwardly'extending arm 46 of the lever is provided with a T-head 47 which is pivoted to and between the limbs of .a vertically reciprocating yoke frame 48,

the depending member 49 of which is provided with a verticalguide slot 50 through which the mainshaft 2 freely extends. This member. is also provided at agpoint below, the slot with a laterally projecting stud or.

roller 51 which enters agrooved; face cam 52 on the shaft 2; the contourof the cam being such as to actuate the yoke frame to impart through the rocking-lever 41 that requisite motions tothe hopper." It is to be noted that by bodily raising and lowering the in-.

H .clined hopper the matches therein are ma terially assisted in their delivery to the dis charge opening, particularly as the discharge of the matches is effected when the hopper is in its down position.

-- The box-tray having been loaded with matches as above described, it is discharged from the turn-table by the entrance to the latter of the'neXt succeding tray through the action of therplunger 37. The filled tray hopperhaxring a single discharge opening through which the matches are delivered with their heads in one direction, a rotary tray-support beneath said opening, means for supplying'ia boX-tray'to said support, means for intermittently rotating said sup port, the periods ofrest being at the end of each semi-rotation of the support,a cut-off gate for the discharge opening, and means to actuate the said gate to open and close the saidopening when the tray-support is at rest, whereby successive quantities of matches can be delivered from the single discharge opening to the tray with the heads of one quantity oppositely disposed to those of another quantity. i

2. In a machine for packing matches, a hopper having a discharge opening at one end thereof, said opening having depending side Walls, a rotary tray-support beneath said opening, means for supplying a bOX- tray to said support, means for intermittently rotating said support, the periods of rest being at the end of each semi-rotation of the support, a cut-off gate for the discharge opening, means to actuate the said gate to open and close the said opening when the tray-support is at rest, and means for effecting a relative vertical movement between the discharge portion of the hopper and the tray-support.

3. In a machine for packing matches, an elongated trough-like hopper pivoted at one end and having a depending discharge portion atjthe other end thereof, means for supporting a box-tray beneath said discharge portion,.means for vertically moving the hopper to cause said discharge portion supported, a cut-off gate for said discharge portion, and means for actuating said gate at predetermined intervals.

4C. In a machine for packing matches, a hopper having a single discharge opening through which the matches are delivered with their heads in one direction, a rotary tray-support beneath said opening, a shaft for said support, a continuously driven shaft, gearing between said shafts adapted to intermittently rotate and lock the shaft for the tray-support, the periods of rest being at the end of each semi-rotation of the support, a cut-off gate for the discharge opening, and means to actuate the said gate to open and close the said opening when the tray-support is at rest.

I 5. In a machine for packing matches, a trough having a discharge portion at one end thereof, a gate for said portion, means whereby box-trays are consecutively moved into position beneath said discharge portion, and means for bodily lowering and raising the discharge end of the trough when each box-tray is positioned thereunder.

to pass into and from the box-tray thus means whereby box-trays are consecutively moved lnto positlon beneath thedlscharge -portion, means for bodily lowering and raising the troughs when each box-tray is posltioned thereunder, and neans for actuatlngsaid gate'to open the discharge por- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing Washington, D. 0.

tion when the trough isin'its down posi- 10 tion. i a t Signed et- Barberton, inthe county of Summit and State of Ohio this 18th day of October, AQD. 1912.

V JACOB P. WRIGHT. VVitnesSesz-- s E. A. JAcoBs,

' SABINA PARKS.

the Commissioner of Patents, I 

